Keeping track of time efficiently with the iPhone & iOS 10

Time tracking has always been a critical productivity factor at work. As people get into busier lifestyles, time tracking is getting essential in our personal lives too. To make the most of the twenty four hours we have in a day, there are some productivity hacks that can help.

Timeboxing with iOS 10 timers

With the new iOS 10, you can set some really quick timers with the clock app on your iPhone & iPad. Especially if you have the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7, you can pull up your control centre and set a quick timer with 3D touch. You can associate tasks like cleaning the fridge or finishing up with your time on social networks with a timer. This Timeboxing definitely helps stay more focussed on the task making you more productive.

The Apple Watch is also a great option to set a quick timer on your wrist itself or you can even ask Siri to set one for you!

‘Hey Siri set a timer for 20 minutes’

Automatic time tracking

Instant tracks your time automatically. The app tracks your phone usage, travel time, time at places, sleep time and even walking or running time. All this is automatically tracked in background! You can even set a daily phone usage limit notification and get weekly reports with it. Instant is available in the App Store & Google Play.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique works great at work or even outside. This technique uses timers to break work into smaller intervals. In general, you are supposed to set a 25 minute timer and allocate a task to it. After every 25 minutes, you are supposed to take a short 5 minute break. This really helps in staying focus and aiding assimilation. After every four 25 minute timers, you can even take a longer 20 minute break. You can use the iOS clock app on the iPhone or iPad to set these Pomodoro timers.

Time tracking is definitely one of the top life hacks with today’s busy lifestyle. Though with all this time tracking, a few mindful minutes in the day are also essential to maintain a balance. You should check out Apple’s Breathe App on the iPhone & Apple Watch for a quick meditation.

Instant– Automatically keep track of the time spent on your phone, while travelling, at places, while sleeping & on fitness activities.